Читать книгу The Complete Book of Dog Breeding - Dan Rice - Страница 11

Bitches can be bred during any normal heat cycle, including their first. It is a generally accepted precept that first-heat breeding is a poor practice, but sometimes it happens in spite of our good intentions. The best rule to follow when intentionally breeding a bitch is to be sure she is physically mature and mentally stable. That means she is over a year old, and depending on the breed, perhaps closer to two years, by which time she should be in her second or third heat period.

Most professional dog breeders do not include animals in their breeding program until they prove their superior qualities in bench shows or obedience competition. Working and hunting breeds likewise are rarely bred before they compete and win in the field. Certainly the overpopulation of dogs demands that we intentionally breed only those animals that are excellent representatives of the breed.